LOS ANGELES (February 20, 2018) – Three-division world champion Mikey Garcia and IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion Sergey Lipinets participated in an open media workout in Los Angeles Tuesday as they prepare for their world title showdown Saturday, March 10 live on SHOWTIME from Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also see two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy taking on Kiryl Relikh in a rematch of their thrilling fight last May, this time for the vacant WBA 140-pound world title.

The night also features a SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT that will see undefeated 140-pound contender and San Antonio-native Mario Barrios face Eudy Bernardo in a 10-round bout and undefeated Alejandro Luna taking on former world title challenger Richard Commey in a 12-round IBF Lightweight Title Eliminator.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions in association with Leija-Battah Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $75, $50 and $20 and are on sale now. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000 or 210 556-7390.

Joining Garcia and Lipinets at Tuesday’s workout was former title challenger Josesito Lopez, who competes in undercard action at Freeman Coliseum on March 10.

Here is what the participants had to say Tuesday from the City of Angels Boxing Club in Los Angeles:

MIKEY GARCIA

“I’m excited to have another opportunity on March 10 to show my fans what I’m all about and what I can do in the ring. I’m preparing to win another world title and that’s all that’s on my mind right now.

“Neither one of us wants to lose. We’re both undefeated and no one wants to give up that ‘0’. That’s going to make this a great fight for the fans.

“I don’t have a number of titles that I’m chasing, but I do believe I will be a champion at 140-pounds and eventually at welterweight. Each fight is unique and I’m going to keep taking it one fight at a time.

“I’ve been winning and dominating my fights, but I still have room to show the fans more of my skills. I need opponents who will bring the best out of me. I’m going to keep trying to dominate each fight and make it easy for myself in the ring.

“It was a little upsetting that we had to wait to have this fight, but it’s part of the sport. We took a day off when we heard the news and then we went back to work. Now we’re ahead of schedule so it worked out great.

“We’re excited to be where we’re at and to have the opportunity to win another world title. I’m most excited that this really takes me closer to the kind of recognition we deserve and the goals I want to achieve.

“Sergey Lipinets is the number one priority right now. He’s an undefeated world champion and I can’t take him lightly at all. I’m going to follow my game plan and right now I’m on track to put on a great performance.

“The number one thing I see in Sergey is his size. He’s the bigger man so I’ll have to be prepared for the weight. Because he’s a young new champion, he’s really got nothing to lose. He’s coming with everything he has.

“I know he’s going to take this fight more seriously than any other he’s taken. I know that he has that fire in him. I have to be aware of his power and use my boxing skills to overcome it.”

SERGEY LIPINETS

“This is going to be a great fight. We’ll both be at 100 percent on fight night and ready to give our best. This won’t be a one-sided fight. It’s going to be two gladiators going at each other.

“Mikey is a great fighter. He has a lot of skills, especially defensively. I’m going to be ready for him. It’s going to be blood, sweat and tears.

“If you’ve watched my previous fights you know that this will be a great fight. We’re both going to be there in front of each other and we won’t be kissing and hugging.

“I’m very excited to be in this position and I’m planning to take advantage of it. It meant a lot to win a world title, but these are the kind of fights you get into boxing for. This is a chance to really put my name in the history books.

“Everything is on schedule for the hand. I’ve been using it at will with no problems. I’ll be ready to go on fight night. I never stopped working so the transition was very easy once the hand had healed.”

JOSESITO LOPEZ

“I can’t wait to show some new things that I’ve worked on in camp. I feel really strong, fast and quick and I’m excited to put it all together on fight night.

“Sparring with Mikey Garcia has been good for me. He’s a really intelligent fighter, he’s very precise and he does everything with a purpose. Being in there with him makes me a better fighter.

“I’m anxious to get back in the ring. I’ve worked hard with Robert Garcia on different game plans and perfecting my style. My body feels good and I’m ready to compete with the top fighters.

“Robert has a great gym in Riverside with a lot of talented fighters. We’re always working and you have to be ready to spar with anybody. The young guys have really given me good work and kept me on my toes, which I’ve needed these last few years.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Garcia’s Brother & Trainer

“Lipinets has power and we’re fighting in his weight division. Lipinets is the naturally bigger fighter and we know he’s a dedicated fighter. I’m sure he’s training like never before.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime for Lipinets. Winning this fight puts him in a great position, so we have to be very careful. We can’t take him lightly, because it won’t be easy. But fighters like Mikey, with his skills, are sometimes able to overcome any disadvantage.

“Fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were able to move up in weight and still dominate, because of their great skills. Very few fighters are able to do that. We believe that Mikey is one of those special fighters.”

BUDDY MCGIRT, Lipinets’ Trainer

“The key is to not be one-dimensional. Sergey is going to give him different looks all night. Once he steps on the gas, we’ll see what Mikey’s made of.

“Mikey hasn’t fought anyone competitive since he came back. I believe it’s been awhile since Mikey’s been in a fight where he’s had to dig down and work. Once Sergey steps on the gas, we’ll see what’s inside of him. I don’t doubt him, because he comes from a family of great fighters and trainers. But sometimes that ring rust will kick in at a time when you can’t afford it.

“We’re prepared for any and everything. Once we get in there, we’ll give Mikey all we can when the time comes.

“We’re watching Sergey and we could tell if he’s hesitating or holding back when throwing his right hand. He hasn’t been doing that. It’s just a matter of time now. Everything is running on schedule.”

NEW YORK (Feb. 20, 2018) – Facebook FIGHTNIGHT LIVE continues its tripleheader weekend with a Murphys Boxing matinee on Saturday, live from the Mohegan Sun Ballroom in Connecticut. Fight fans from across the nation and around the globe can catch an outstanding card with international appeal on any device wherever Facebook is available from 3-7 p.m., brought to fans by the promotion born out of the Dropkick Murphys popular Celtic punk band.

“Times are changing for boxing just like streaming changed music. With the built-in audiences we have we are reaching a higher viewership with our streams than many of the televised fight cards are these days. We are proud of the fights we are putting on and the big audiences we are drawing, and it’s great for our fighters to get the exposure,” said Ken Casey, Dropkick Murphys Frontman and President and Founder, Murphys Boxing.

Recently hitting the 1,000,000 views mark, Saturday afternoon’s show continues FIGHTNIGHT LIVE’s historic Feb. 23-24 back-to-back-to-back Friday and Saturday shows spanning from the casinos of New England to the Boardwalk of Atlantic City. The Dropkick Murphys are live in concert at Mohegan Sun Arena for fans onsite after Murphys Boxing, but ringside access on the Facebook FIGHTNIGHT LIVE channel takes viewers to the Jersey Shore after the closing bell in Uncasville, Conn.

“We’re excited about Saturday, and also to begin a two-fight promotion with Murphys Boxing,” said Mark Fratto, Principal of Linacre Media. “The card is filled with undefeated up-and-comers with international appeal, and Facebook is a terrific medium to deliver these great fights and outstanding athletes to a global audience. We’re thrilled that the Murphys are part of the action and can’t wait to hoist a pint with them during our St. Patrick’s Day show in Boston as well.”

Over the first nine-plus months of programming, the numbers on the 12-show FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series have showed promise and potential for the new platform with an average of close to 90,000 fight fans tuning in per event and more than one-million fans served.

The Sept. 9 “Real Deal Promotions: Empire State” from Resorts World Casino (225,000), the August CES “Super Saturday” from Foxwoods (203,000), the Sept. CES “Twin River Twinbill” from Lincoln, R.I. (157,000) all topped 150,000 views, and collectively the 12-show series saw a total of more than 21,000 total hours of Facebook video consumed by 1,067,435-plus users across all devices.

In addition to the raw viewership numbers, the fully-interactive, fan-friendly productions have seen more than 142,000 collective live post engagements (nearly 12,000 per show), including almost 97,000 “likes” or “loves,” more than 22,000 comments and almost 6,000 shares.

FIGHTNIGHT LIVE broadcasts are viewed by 76 percent men, 24 percent women. The top demographic is comprised of males ages 25-34, which encompasses approximately 30.0 percent of the audience, on average.

The Sept. 9 “Real Deal Promotions: Empire State” set a new bar with 224,658 views and the Sept. 15-16 DiBella-CES doubleheader carried the series to three-quarters-of-a-million views in just over four months. The Feb. 10 Hard-Hitting Promotions “Philly Fight Night” show stands out individually with 3,421 live hours of content viewed, while the Sept. 15 DiBella card saw more than 40,000 viewer interactions including almost 39,000 “likes” or “loves.”

The FIGHTNIGHT LIVE page on Facebook has more than 80,000 fans and more than 82,000 followers. And Facebook itself has taken notice – the world’s No. 1 social network recently profiled FIGHTNIGHT LIVE on its “Success Stories” media blog, noting the series’ use of industry best practices for production and interactivity: https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/success-stories/fightnight

Facebook FIGHTNIGHT LIVE has been delivered to fans absolutely free since its May 2017 launch courtesy of series corporate partners like Elite Heat Water, Montauk Iced Tea (montaukbev.com), Mr. Custom Made(mrcustommade.com) and BallWash (ballwash.com).

On Saturday afternoon, Feb. 24, live from live from Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., fans can expect a high-impact, multi-camera streaming experience complete with graphics, animations, replays, interviews and an announce team anchored by blow-by-blow announcer Vladimir Lik of The RING, Round By Round Boxing and the Russian language newspaper Russkaya Reklama, and analyst Xavier Porter of BrooklynFights.com and Notorious Boxing. To provide spectators with a fully-interactive ringside experience, commentators will ask and respond to questions from the Facebook audience throughout the broadcast.

Created and produced by Linacre Media out of New York City, the FIGHTNIGHT LIVE series features professional announcers, multiple camera angles, television graphics, replays and behind-the-scenes access and interviews. The streamed shows are available globally wherever Facebook is available. The initiative not only enables fans from around the world to tune in, but also gives up-and-coming fighters a global platform to showcase their abilities, gives promoters an accessible “broadcast” solution and gives sponsors the ability to reach a mass audience via branded content.

More FIGHTNIGHT LIVE Winter/Spring 2018 dates will be officially announced in the coming weeks.

Follow all the action via social media at FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Facebook, @FaceFIGHTNIGHTLIVE on Instagram and @FIGHTNIGHTLIVE_ on Twitter, or by using the hashtag #FIGHTNIGHTLIVE. For the latest Linacre Media events and broadcast schedule, follow @LinacreMedia across all social platforms or use the tags #LinacreMediaEvents or #LinacreMediaOnTV.

Peltz is the matchmaker for February 24th card at The Showboat Hotel featuring Thomas LaManna and Gabriel Bracero

ATLANTIC CITY – February 20, 2018 – Boxing in Atlantic City has been prevalent for more than 45 years. One man who has been in the center of a lot of the action on the boardwalk has been International Boxing and Atlantic City Boxing Hall-of-Fame promoter and matchmaker J Russell Peltz.

The Philadelphia legend, who has promoted scores of cards in the shore town, is making matches for the February 24 card at The Showboat Hotel that will feature Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna vs. Gabriel “Tito” Bracero in a 10-round battle for the WBC Fecarbox Welterweight championship.

“I did my first fight in 1973,” said Peltz, who has run shows in just about every property in Atlantic City.

It is only fitting that Peltz is the matchmaker with promoter Rising Star Promotions in the South Jersey based promotional outfit’s effort to bring Atlantic City back to prominence as the the premier fight destination on the East Coast.

Peltz is hoping LaManna-Bracero is added to the memorable bouts that Peltz has been involved in Atlantic City:

“The fight was televised by local cable channel PRISM (Jim Barniak and Bob Wright, both deceased, did the commentary) and it was for Fletcher’s USBA middleweight title.

“This was the most brutal fight I ever saw, even more brutal than Matthew Saad Muhammad-Marvin Johnson I. This was a closet classic since few saw it on PRISM. The fight was toe-to-toe for seven rounds, no knockdowns, until ringside doctor stopped it between the seventh and eighth round. They could have fought this one in a phone booth.

“Singletary was taken to hospital after fight.

“Later, when we couldn’t find Fletcher, we broke into his hotel room, and he was out cold on the floor. We couldn’t get an ambulance so we (Marty Feldman and I) put him in the back of a police wagon and rode with him to the hospital where the doctor told us if we hadn’t found him he would have been dead.

“Singletary kept saying in the pre-fight buildup that no 12-2 TV fighter was gonna beat him. This was a reference to Fletcher getting into the first ESPN tournament and winning while Singletary had been plying his trade for years (24-2 then) and never got that kind of exposure, just on PRISM. Actually, Fletcher already had been on NBC once, beating Norberto Sabater.”

2. September 9, 1980 from Resorts–Mike Rossman vs. Al Bolden (PRISM)

“Ex-WBA light-heavyweight Rossman was getting beat up every round for 8 1/2 rounds against Al Bolden, of Pittsburgh, PA, and finally found a little light late in round 9 and came on to knock Bolden out at 2:32 of the 10th round and salvage the win. Bolden took the second knockdown in the 10th on his knees.”

3. March 13, 1983 from Resorts–Jeff Chandler – Gaby Canizalez (ABC)

“Jeff Chandler, in the most brilliant performance of his Hall-of-Fame career out-boxed, out-punched and out-muscled future champion Gaby Canizales, of Texas, over 15 rounds to defend his WBA bantamweight title for the seventh time by unanimous decision. No one thought he could stand up under Canizales’ body attack but it was Chandler’s body and head attack that kept Canizales at bay for the entire fight. Just magnificent.”

“Unknown lefty Gary Hinton gave IBF 140 pound world champ Aaron Pryor all he could handle, but a 14th-round knockdown helped Pryor gain a 15-round split decision with Sylvester Stallone in attendance. He was our partner at the time with Pryor. It was Pryor’s last successful title defense.”

5. November 19, 2011 from Ballys–Garrett Wilson vs. Chuck Mussachio

“Moving from light heavyweight to cruiserweight, Mussachio appeared to have out-boxed Wilson for 11 rounds in their USBA cruiserweight title fight, but Wilson drilled Mussachhio with a monstrous overhand right 41 seconds into the 12th round for the knockout win.”

Select American Stars To Take On International Squad At Newly-Renovated Pier 17 In Ninth Annual Event; Youth Wrestlers And High School Wrestlers Take The Mat; Benefit Celebration Follows

NEW YORK– Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. and USA Wrestling announced today that the men’s and women’s national wrestling teams of the United States will again compete in their annual benefit event on Thursday, May 17, but at a new location: South Street Seaport at Pier 17. The squads will take on international-level wrestlers from nations to be determined in the eighth annual wrestling celebration. Competitors for Team USA, which will likely include members of the 2016 Olympic team and 2017 World Championships team as well as other elite stars, and their opponents will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are excited to celebrate the best of wrestling at the newly-renovated Pier 17 at South Street Seaport,” said Beat the Streets Chairman of the Board Mike Novogratz. “The Beat the Streets matches have annually been a fantastic showcase for the sport and its international appeal.”

This year will mark the first time that Beat the Streets has held its annual event at South Street Seaport. In 2013, the event dubbed “The Rumble on the Rails,” was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal and featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran. Playing an important role in the international Keep Olympic Wrestling effort, this historic wrestling event gained international media coverage and helped wrestling retain its status on the Olympic Games program.

The world-class competition had been hosted in Times Square six previous times. In 2011, the United States defeated World Champion Russia, 5-2, the first sports event ever held in historic Times Square. In 2012, another U.S. vs. Russia dual meet was held in Times Square, along with the U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off for the 60 kg/132 lbs. position on the U.S. Olympic Team in men’s freestyle. In 2014, Team USA defeated a World All-Star Team in Times Square, 8-3. In 2015, “Salsa in the Square” featured a meeting between Team USA and Team Cuba in the three Olympic styles, held shortly after the historic change in USA and Cuban political relations. In 2017, the US met Iran in a dual meet in Times Square as a preview to the 2016 Olympic Games. Finally, last year, Team Japan provided the opposition in a spirited competition at Duffy Square.

This will be the ninth straight year in which a major international-style wrestling competition will be hosted as part of the Beat the Streets Benefit activities. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan.

Top Beat the Streets youth wrestlers will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 3:00 p.m. to kick off the NYC Benefit. For the third straight year, the Benefit will feature the PSAL Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships finals, showcasing the two top New York City girl’s freestyle wrestling high school teams from the spring girl’s freestyle season. Then it’s Team USA vs. an international squad at 6:00 p.m. with video highlights and special guest appearances followed by the Beat the Streets Benefit Celebration.

Tickets are required for entry and can be purchased at www.btsny.org or 212.245.6570 or by emailing Kate Linker at klinker@btsny.org. Standing room available for non-ticket holders on first come first serve basis. A ticket is required for the Benefit Celebration at the Marriott Marquis.

The Benefit Celebration will follow the wrestling competition. This unique and electrifying annual event helps Beat the Streets (BTS) raise significant funds to further its mission. Whether it’s providing a safe, constructive outlet for our urban youth, fighting childhood obesity, empowering women, or uniting entire nations, wrestling teaches persistence, dedication, and the value of working hard to achieve one’s goals and creates opportunities for personal and universal growth. BTS currently serve over 3,000 student-athletes every year.

2018 Beat the Streets Wrestling Schedule
South Street Seaport/Pier 17, New York City, May 17, 2018

The bout was the co-feature this past Friday night at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.

Villa, 20, capitalized on his southpaw stance by landing a strong jab and countering with a right hook that routinely found its mark. Sandoval often looked confused and never managed to find any angles against the busier Villa.

“I just tried to keep the pressure on him from start to finish,” said Villa, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “I think he fought a cautious fight, but I was still able to land a lot of punches in every round.”

Villa was most impressive in the fourth and fifth rounds when he delivered numerous sets of combinations that stunned the taller Sandoval. While Villa kept his unbeaten streak alive on Friday night, another, less recognizable streak ended. In his previous unanimous decision wins, Villa had won every round on every scorecard. On Friday night, one judge failed to give Villa all six rounds (59-55).

“That streak was bound to end sooner or later,” Villa said. “I’ll have to start another one.”

“Once again Ruben had a terrific outing on Friday night,” said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo.

“Ruben continues his progression and development, and we are extremely pleased at where he is at. 2018 is going to be a big year for Ruben, as we will see him fight for some regional titles in the next 12-18 months.”

“Ruben looked impressive yet again against a veteran opponent,” said Ken Thompson, president of Thompson Boxing. “Ruben is developing and maturing quicker than we anticipated. He’ll be back in the ring very soon.”

2018 is shaping up to be an important year in the budding boxing career of undefeated Detroit-based bantamweight Ja’Rico “The Great Lakes King” O’Quinn.

“I’m looking to make my TV debut this year,” said O’Quinn, finishing up training for Friday’s fight. “From there, the sky is the limit. When I get on TV, I’m going to looks so good I’ll become an attraction that people want to see again and again.”

This Friday, February 23, on a show called “WAR IN WARREN,” at DeCarlo’s Banquet and Convention Center in Warren, Michigan, O’Quinn (7-0-1, 5 KOs) will kick off the year by facing Kenyan veteran Nick “Kanyankole” Otieno (31-12, 13 KOs) in a six-round showcase.

“Training went well,” he continued. “I’m putting the finishing touches on camp and making sure my weight is good. I know Otieno is a tough veteran who’s not coming to lay down. He’ll put up a good fight and I’m pretty sure he’s got some veteran tactics he’ll try to use in there. I’ll use my youth and skills to come out on top.”

A former number-one ranked national amateur champion, O’Quinn turned professional in 2015 and soon signed with the ever-growing promotional stable of Dmitriy Salita. Flashy and quick-fisted with good power, O’Quinn’s popularity with hometown fans seems to grow with every impressive performance.

“It’s a great feeling. I get a lot of love in Detroit. They chant my name. The crowd loves it. If you can make it out of Detroit, you can make it out of anywhere.”

O’Quinn says he won’t predict what will specifically happen against Otieno, only that he will continue to build his name.

“If it goes the distance, I see myself being dominant and showcasing my talents and skills for all six rounds. If it doesn’t go the distance, I’ll show them what I can do for a while and then get him out of there.”

Tickets for “WAR IN WARREN” are priced at $35/$65/$100 and are available by calling 313.655.7631. On fight night, doors at 7 pm. Action starts at 8. DeCarlo’s is located at 6015 E 10 Mile in Warren.

Hamazaryan, 22 years-old of Gyumri, Armenia, improved to 9-0 with 6 knockouts as he won his American debut this past Friday night when he scored a 4-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Sergio Ramirez in Ontario, California.

Hamazaryan is a three year-professional who had his previous eight victories in Russia.

In the bout against Ramirez, Hamazaryan dropped his opponent with

a hard left hook in the second round. Hamazaryan was very impressive as he displayed heavy hands and had a crowd pleasing style.

“I’m pleased with the win,” Hamazaryan said. “He was a bit awkward, but it wasn’t enough to throw me off what I wanted to do.”

“Zhora had a terrific performance, and I am very pleased with his fight,” said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo.

“He has only been in the United States for a couple weeks, and he will have a full camp here for his next fight, so I expect that he will be even better in his next bout. We feel that at 22 years old, he has a bright future, and I look forward to his watching his development.”

“Zhora made his U.S. debut a memorable one,” said Ken Thompson, President of Thompson Boxing. “He fought a very awkward fighter and was able to dominate him from the start. We like that he comes from an extensive amateur background and look forward to developing him further.”

The Feb. 22nd USA Boxing Alumni Association also being held, in part, to promote the 2018 USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour, which kicks-off Monday, March 12, at the newly renovated Royale Entertainment Complex in Boston’s famed theater district. The USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour will continue March 15 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. and concludes March 21 at The Manchester Downtown Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire.

All USA Boxing Alumni Association members, as well as any prospective members, are welcome to attend this unique meet-and-greet, starting when doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, until the first bout at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Ticket prices start at $18.00, only $7.00 for students (ID required) and are available to purchase by calling the Lowell Memorial Auditorium box office at 1.866.722.8881 or ordering online at www.lowellauditorium.com.

Created to champion a lifelong, mutually beneficial relations between USA Boxing and its alumni, –boxers, officials, coaches and boxing fans — The Alumni Association connects generations of champions, inspiring and giving back to USA Boxing’s future boxing champions, in and out of the ring.

The USA Boxing Alumni Association is open to anyone who has a love for boxing and would like to stay connected with amateur boxing. Members are granted access to a wide variety of special events host by the Alumni Association, including Friday evening’s USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame reception.

To join the Alumni Association, simply register at alumni@usaboxing,.org for a $40.00 per year membership fee. New members will receive a T-shirt, keychain and e-wallet.

Velazco, who hails from Aguascalientes, Mexico, rallied from an early first round knockdown, which was more of an off-balance circumstance. Velazco wasn’t hurt and evened the score in the second round with his own knockdown, catching Williams with a short right to the face, a punch he didn’t see coming. Williams survived the round but was walking on wobbly legs. Now in a rhythm, Velazco’s timing was on point as he sent Williams to the deck for the second time in round three, this time hurting him badly with combination of punches. Williams survived once again only to be stopped in round four when Velazco, a heavy-handed southpaw, blasted him with a straight left, forcing the referee to stop the bout at the 1:37 mark.

“It was a great feeling to get a knockout in my first fight in the united states,” said Humberto Velazco, who is managed by Greg Hannley of Prince Ranch Boxing. “When I got up from the knockdown I wasn’t hurt, but it definitely woke me up. When I dropped Williams, I knew he was hurt, but the round ended. I knew I had to step it up and I got him out of there. I’m ready to fight all the big names at light-heavyweight and super-middleweight. Adonis Stevenson, Sergey Kovalev, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are at the top. I want their belts, so they are on my target list.”

A genetic freak, Velaszco stands slightly over 6″1, and has a rare combination of speed and power. His athletic pedigree runs in the family as his brother is a professional basketball player.

“When I first saw Velazco in the gym, I knew he was something special,” said Oscar Vazquez, CEO of Sugar Promotions. “He has great feet for a big man and showed he can bang with the best of them. I’m very grateful to the folks at PBC, who gave us the opportunity to fight on this card. I believe Velazco will be the next big star to come out of Mexico.”

“Velazco is a super athletic fighter with a great personality.” said Prince Ranch Boxing’s Greg Hannley. “His final knockdown was amazing. We have big plans for Tito and everyone on boxing will know his name soon.”

Velazco vs. Williams Jr. was showcased on the PBC card headlined by Victor Ortiz vs. Devon Alexander. Look for Velaszco to be back in the ring by summer, most likely in his hometown of Aguascalientes, Mexico.

The eight-bout card is promoted by Fire Fist Boxing Promotions. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com and tables can be purchased by calling 813-734-2461. Fans can also watch the card live for only $9.99 at Fite.tv/watch/lightweight-battle/2mzhw/. The first bout is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Hailing from Sao Paolo, Brazil but residing in Florida, Silva has an excellent 24-1 professional record with 14 of those victories by knockout. The former WBO Latino Lightweight titlist fought highly-touted Felix Verdejo on HBO in 2016 but came up short in a gutsy performance. Silva is looking to get back into the limelight but must first pass a tough test on the 3rd.

Known by his moniker “El Loco,” Casarez has proven his willingness to fight anybody, anytime, anywhere. The Arkansas native, who is 13-6 with 5 KO’s, fought 2012 Olympian Jamel Herring, undefeated Louis Cruz and two-division world title challenger Cesar Seda. In 2016, Casarez traveled all the way to China to capture the NABF and IBU 130 pound titles by outpointing previously unbeaten Ronnakit Boontree over twelve rounds.

The Silva-Casarez showdown is slated for ten rounds and is for the NBA World and IBO Continental 135 pound titles.

Popular Tampa cruiserweight Nicholas “The Showstopper” Iannuzzi returns to the squared circle for the first time in nearly four years to face Lemarcus Tucker of Arkansas in a six rounder. Known for his larger than life Personality, Iannuzzi has a solid 18-4 record with 10 KO’s. Tucker, 5-3-1 (3 KO’s), had all nine of his professional fights during Iannuzzi’s hiatus and looks for a second consecutive victory.

Ricky “Cowboy” Tomlinson of Thonotasassa, FL meets unbeaten Ernest Hall of Baltimore, MD in a four round featherweight contest. Tomlinson, 5-3-2 (3 KO’s) is a big local draw and fought his entire career in the Sunshine State.

Middleweight prospect Antonio Tarver Jr. of Orlando, FL looks to run his record to 5-0 when he meets Dallas, TX based veteran Carlos Dixon in a four round contest. Tarver Jr. is the son of former unified champion Antonio Tarver.

“We at Fire Fist Boxing are looking forward to an explosive night of boxing with championship bouts and a great undercard,” said Promoter Jody Caliguire. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the boxing fans for another great evening filled with international and local talent.”